Cassio Tagge
Cassio Tagge was a human male who served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of the Imperial military, overseeing the Imperial Army throughout much of the Galactic Civil War. Born into the powerful House of Tagge, Cassio Tagge grew up on Tepasi with his two brothers, Orman and Silas, as well as his younger sister Domina, who was sent away from Tepasi by Orman at an early age. Boasting a tactically astute and cautious mind, Tagge had enlisted for officer training in the Imperial Military by 18 BBY, against the wishes of Orman, who had ascended to the position of Baron of the House of Tagge. Cassio Tagge ultimately ascended to the rank of general, and became an influential figure within the military, strengthening the organization's ties to his family's TaggeCo corporation, and holding sway with Emperor Cosimo Palpatine II himself. Among the general's earlier assignments was the subjugation of the Fallanassi people on Lucazec. When the general failed, he managed to drive the obstinate people off their planet and into hiding. Tagge's military nous, combined with his standing with Palpatine and the House of Tagge's considerable influence on the Imperial capital world of Imperial Center resulted in him being given command of all Imperial Army activities on Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's Death Star. As the project was steered towards completion, Tagge was given numerous administrative duties, and developed a fierce rivalry with his Imperial Navy counterpart on the station, Admiral Zigmund Motti. Tagge also had to endure the presence of the Dark Lord Darth Vader, with whom he felt compelled to avoid direct confrontation, but was critical of nonetheless. Tagge's criticisms of Vader and the Death Star project itself reached a fever pitch in 0 BBY, when the battlestation's plans were stolen by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, an entity that Tagge controversially had great respect for. Biography Early life Cassio Tagge was born in 47 BBY into the highly influential and noble House of Tagge, an immensely wealthy and noble family that controlled the ubiquitous Tagge Company, as well as a bountiful mining operation. Tagge grew up on the Core World of Tepasi, alongside older brothers Orman, who was groomed from an early age to ascend to the position of baron within the family, and Silas, who was interested purely in scientific development. Tagge also had a younger sister, Domina. By the time Domina was two years old, Tagge and his siblings were orphaned. From this youthful age, Cassio Tagge displayed an interest in strategy. Military career By 18 BBY, Tagge had enrolled in officer training within the Imperial Military, against the wishes of Orman, who by that point had ascended to the role of baron of the House of Tagge and by extension was the head of TaggeCo. While in training, Tagge began to hear odd rumors concerning the Emperor and his family as well as the Imperial Knight, Darth Vader, concerning bizarre powers and rituals surrounding them all. The young officer-in-training was particularly concerned by the stories around Vader's sudden rise to prominence within the Galactic Empire, and was concerned when Orman began embroiling himself in Vader's affairs. Meeting on Tepasi, Tagge and his brother discussed Orman's recent meeting with the Emperor, the baron was confident that the New Order would prove hugely profitable for TaggeCo. The younger Tagge was nonetheless worried by the persistent rumors, but Orman was dismissive of Vader's influence, confident that he could turn the situation to his advantage and supplant the Dark Lord at Cosimo Palpatine I's side. Tagge's fears were not assuaged, and they ultimately proved well-founded, Vader visited Tepasi shortly thereafter, having learned of Orman's meeting with Palpatine, and blinded the baron with his lightsaber. Personality and traits Cassio Tagge was known as a plodding and cautious individual in his youth, and that caution would go on to define him later in his life. He was an intense, no-nonsense figure, who projected a powerful and commanding presence. He was also perceived to have a stroke of twisted genius about him, which struck fear into those around him. Tagge's demeanor was considered by his colleagues and compatriots to be particularly unpleasant and unlikable. Tagge's apprehensive nature was in stark contrast to that of his oldest brother, Baron Orman Tagge, whose brash and cocksure modus operandi eventuated in his being maimed by the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader. The general was a cautious being, and preferred to survey all options before taking a plan of action. Although this often served him well, it would occasionally be to his detriment. What he made up for in rationality he lacked in persuasive skills, as his constant warnings to Tarkin and Motti were unheeded, as were his warnings to older brother Orman about Darth Vader's powers. This balanced but conservative view made Tagge an unusual figure within the hierarchy of the Imperial Military. Tagge was nonetheless outspoken and argumentative in putting across his beliefs among his peers, openly questioning decisions made by influential figures such as Grand Moff Tarkin, Lord Vader, and Emperor Cosmino Palpatine II. It was not his unswerving loyalty, however, that prevented Tagge from buying into some of Tarkin and Motti's more ambitious discussions regarding what power the Death Star would afford them in the Empire at large, but rather, Tagge's concerns over using the battlestation to wield ultimate control over Palpatine were logistical. Tagge was one to buy into rumor and innuendo in his younger days, particularly the morbid stories that surrounded figures such as Vader and the entire Imperial family. Tagge as an officer ultimately appealed to Cosimo Palpatine I, his refusal to involve himself in political maneuvering and dedication to the will of the Emperor were traits valued by the galactic ruler. On the other hand, Tagge disliked Vader immensely, criticizing the Dark Lord with vigor behind his back. The general was also one to heed caution in dealing with the Alliance to Restore the Republic as he acknowledged their abilities to cause significant harm to the Empire, and was one of the few individuals in his walk of life to think in such a way. It was his opinion that the Alliance held sway within the Imperial Senate, and he was willing to contemplate the worst-case possibility that they would be able to ascertain a method by which to damage or destroy the Death Star. His cautious approach led him to question the dissolving of the Imperial Senate, as the former senators and their constituents would not be happy at their loss of power and representation, and the Destruction of Aldera, which he felt would have a fatal backlash against the Empire in contrast to Tarkin and Motti, who believed that it would inspire total obedience through fear. Ironically, he was proven right, as the destruction of the beloved city caused a storm of rage and dissidence throughout the Empire. The general earned the ire of Admiral Motti through his more conservative approach to the Death Star battlestation, and the two developed a rivalry while serving under Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. His belligerent attitude clashed with that of Motti, and retained his skepticism of the Death Star project even in the light of successful demonstrations of the battlestation's power. His criticism of the dissolution of the Imperial Senate lost him favor with the likes of Tarkin, although the general was considered a rational thinker and astute tactician by the Grand Moff, in spite of Tagge's unimaginative positioning of defensive gunnery positions on the Death Star. Tagge was considered the most level-headed of the senior staff aboard the Death Star by Voren Na'al, and a psychological profile of recordings led Alliance psychologists to debate over why he would serve the Empire at all, let alone join it. Appearances *Star Wars: A New Hope *''Star Wars: Siege at Yavin'' *''Star Wars: Before the Storm'' *''Star Wars: Shield of Lies'' Notes and references Category:Humans Category:Males Category:House of Tagge Category:Nobility Category:Imperial Army generals of the Galactic Empire Category:Joint Chiefs of the Imperial military Category:Inhabitants of Tepasi Category:Inhabitants of Coruscant